Experiencing God by Henry, Richard, And Mike Blackaby
This is Pastor John’s dessert island book. Meaning that if he were to be stuck on a dessert island with the Bible and one book to help him understand how God works…it would be this book. This book shows an indisputable pattern we can see in Scripture to help us understand how God works that we may experience Him to the full. For anyone who has ever wondered “What’s God’s will for my life?” But, you may ask, “what does this have to do with mental health struggles?” A lot! The further we get from our designed purpose, the more we struggle spiritually, relationally, emotionally, physically, and mentally.
God is inviting you into an intimate love relationship through which He reveals to you His will, His ways, and His work. When you recognize where God is working, you can join Him in what He is doing. Carefully listening to His voice will anchor you in His plan and set you free to live it with boldness and freedom. Then you will experience God doing through you what only He can do.
Session topics:
1. God’s Will for Your Life
2. Looking to God
3. God Pursues a Love Relationship
4. Love and God’s Invitation
5. God Speaks, Part 1
6. God Speaks, Part 2
7. The Crisis of Belief
8. Adjusting Your Life to God
9. Experiencing God Through Obedience
10. God’s Will and the Church
11. Kingdom People
12. Experiencing God in Your Daily Life
2. Finding Quiet by J.P. Moreland
This book by prominent philosopher, author, and professor J. P. Moreland. Moreland has had a lifelong struggle with anxiety and debilitating depression. This book is excellent in that it contains helpful, practical Biblically rooted exercises to help us in taking every thought captive.
3. The Search for Significance by Robert S. McGee
This is a classic book in Christian development used by Christian counselors for decades that helps identify the core crippling lies the enemy tells us and equips us to systematically, and Scripturally combat these lies with powerful truth from God’s Word. Billy Graham said that it was a book that "should be read by every Christian".”
4. I Declare War by Levi Lusko
In I Declare War, Levi Lusko candidly shares about his struggles. He identifies four weapons you have at your disposal—thoughts, words, behaviors, and power—and illustrates how to use them to achieve ongoing victory.
5. Journey into the Divided Heart by Steve Fair
This a guide to help you on your path to true freedom, a path that can lead you safely into true emotional wholeness. You experience unresolved pain and multiple layers of self-protection called defense mechanisms, that lead to addictions, anxiety, depression, and relationship difficulties (yes-even with God) with which we all struggle. This book will give you the tools you need from both a clinical and spiritual perspective to become truly free. The resulting peace, love, joy, reconciled marriages and relationships, and sense of positive Christ centered identity, is the fruit of your journey and will come as you lay these protections down that have become your prison. This book is a must read for anyone looking for true lasting change, as well as a role-defining text for counselors and pastors who are looking to integrate cutting-edge clinical counseling with an unwavering faith-based, non-religious approach to working with the brokenhearted.